This invention pertains to hot air hair curlers and, more particularly, to such curlers of the type which are likely to be used in the home or while traveling. It is important that curlers of this type be as small and compact as reasonably possible. However, this has not been easy to accomplish. Hot air curlers include an electrically operated fan and an electrical heating element. The fan pulls air into the body of the curler, forces it past a heating element and into a barrel around which the hair is wrapped. The heated air is expelled through the barrel via air outlet openings in its surface, causing the hair to assume a set or curl.
One of the difficulties encountered in attempting to reduce the size of such a curler is that relatively high currents are required, especially to supply the heating element. As a result of the relatively high currents, a relatively large switch is also required. Advantageously, control of the switch should be from a finger tip control position near the forward end of the handle, i.e., the end from which the barrel protrudes. However, a large switch in such a location would interfere with the heater, the fan motor, and the air flow. Prior art attempts to overcome this problem resulted in the use of smaller switches. However, undersized switches are unsafe and some have been refused Underwriter's Laboratories approval. Another problem which must be overcome when reducing the size of a curler is that of making the air inlet opening sufficiently large to insure the required volume of air. Since the air inlet opening is normally at the same end of the housing as the incoming power cord, the latter may interfere with the obtaining of a reasonably large volume of air.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a hot air hair curler which is small and compact, but includes a switch of adequate size to safely handle the electrical load. Another object is to provide such a curler wherein the air inlet opening is sufficiently large to insure an adequate supply of heated air. Other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.